How do i change?

[Mabalot]

I know the Lord and accept what he has done for me on the cross,
yet I still seem to struggle with something.

I want to be clean, I want to be pure, I want to be sanctified, I want to be converted. The bible states many times to REPENT. To turn away from our sins, yet I catch myself occasionally doing the things I have repented of, and this causes me great sorrow,
questioning myself, Did I truly repent?

Many tell me to stop wrestling with God, stop trying to be perfect,
stop trying to "earn my salvation", but this also seems to be a struggle for me. How do I truly come broken to the foot of the cross, when I am have these feelings of "uh oh, you sinned again, you not truly following Jesus".

I hear many times of how Jesus CHANGES people. They no longer have the desires of their former self. THIS IS WHAT MY HEART TRULY DESIRES. Yet when I fall on my knees and literally cry out and weep like a baby to him for help, nothing seems to change. I still have these sinful desires that I want so badly to be cleansed of in my heart and mind.

I know there are several different subjects going on here, but if you could PLEASE, give me some advice. I have reached out to SO MANY people, SO MANY times, trying to figure all this out, I pray that perhaps this time will make a difference in my understanding.

Thank you, God Bless, and I look forward to your reply.

 

[Giggles4God]

I believe we all struggle with this at times...wanting to be pure, but we seem to still sin and it grieves us...and God...God more so.

First of all, we all sin. No one is without sin, but Jesus. Jesus was the perfect man on earth. But since we sin, we need to understand a few things. That repentance is turning from our sin...turning from the sin we repent of. God is not upset with you when you come to Him multiple times to repent.

God knows we are but dust. He knows that we will stumble and fall, but the wonderful thing is...He is standing there with an outstretched hand wanting to help us up...to dust us off and say go and sin no more. He knows we will sin again, but He also knows that we will come to Him and ask for forgiveness and repent.

See, I think that people believe that if we are TRUE Christians we will be perfect and walk without sin, which is not true at all! And at times this is where Christians kick their own wounded...instead of helping them they hinder them.

Think about it the way God sees it. He wants to help us to see Him in everything and to see who He is. We can't do that with stained eyeglasses over our eyes. The stained eyeglasses is like trying to see through the eyes of a sinful world. We can't see God the way we should.

God never turns any of us away. No matter how bad we believe we have been. He is a God of mercy, love, justice.


"Many tell me to stop wrestling with God, stop trying to be perfect,
stop trying to "earn my salvation", but this also seems to be a struggle for me. How do I truly come broken to the foot of the cross, when I am have these feelings of "uh oh, you sinned again, you not truly following Jesus"." (that is from the original post)

Well, let's see. That sounds like something satan would say. "you no good Christian. you can't even stop sinning for a day! Jesus doesn't want you." Etc...and blah blah blah...satan wants to tell us that Jesus doesn't want us. We are not worth it. BUT Jesus says You ARE worth it! He died in YOUR place! That made you worth it! Jesus never does anything that doesn't mean something or shows us how to live.

My brother, you are struggling and that is a GOOD thing! It means you want to change your life! God will honor that. He is changing you right now because you are still trying to figure all this out. It is a journey, a process. This life is not easy. It is hard. God will never leave you nor forsake you! He's your biggest cheerleader! Don't listen to the voice of satan. He will discourage you. Listen to God. He's your provider, your comforter. He will help you and guide you.

The Bible says in Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

God knows your desire, your intent. Just keep pressing into Him and praying. Pray that He would change your heart. Ask Him for a heart after Him, His heart. You might not see the changes immediately, but they will come.

I'm gonna pray for you right here, right now.

Father God, my brother here desires a change of heart, a heart like Yours. I ask that You would shower him with Your peace and comfort and that You would show Yourself to him in a powerful way. Let him see that his heart is changing and becoming more like Yours. Help him to find true repentance and that he would follow after You. Give him grace and mercy in this journey. I ask all this in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Now, my brother, I hope and pray this helps some. I pray and hope my typed text will help you and that God has spoken to you...I am His willing vessel.

 

[JoshuaJones]

I know there are several different subjects going on here, but if you could PLEASE, give me some advice. I have reached out to SO MANY people, SO MANY times, trying to figure all this out, I pray that perhaps this time will make a difference in my understanding.

Beloved of Christ our King, be freed from the shackles of men's traditions in Christ's Mighty Name! When I read your post, the Spirit lead me to inquire, "Have you been baptized yet?"

The gospel of Salvation and Eternal Life in Christ hits every member of the body differently. Just as we are all unique and critical members of One Body in Christ, we all experience things with unique perspectives. Even though Solomon reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun, this doesn't change the fact that we see these "similar" events, throughout our walks, differently.

Continually renew your mind brother, it's God leading our dance - not the other way around. He may get upset if we step on his toes, but He's not going to leave us on the dance floor, We would have to give up and walk off. Pull up your bootstraps and realize that in Christ, regardless of what the Wold or People or even our Adversary may think, we are more than champions! Our Lord secured that victory over 2000 years ago!

You repented so if it's bugging you still, you need to forgive yourself - otherwise your mind will never let it go, many of us know this all too well!

Trust on these things to lead you; I recommend the order listed:
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Scriptures
The Body of Christ

You are in my prayers, may you be edified and shine all the brighter in Christ!

 

[Logos57]

Sound like to me, you have the same problem as the Apostle Paul, and I think most if not all of Christians.
Romans 7:14-25
14) For we know, that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate that do I.
16) If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. (the law is good)
17) Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me: but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21) I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22) For I delight in the law of Godafter the inward man:
23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I don't know about you, but that sounds like my life story, what a petiful state but wait what did Paul say in the last verse of this seventh chapter of Romans.
25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Paul is saying in this world we are fighting a losing battle, except for the fact that Jesus already fought this battle for us and was victorious.
Romans 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him tha loved us.
I Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
See also II Corinthians 2:14

I'm just thankful that Jesus Christ already won this battle for me, because without His help I would be doomed.

 

[Boanerges]

I know the Lord and accept what he has done for me on the cross, yet I still seem to struggle with something.

My friend, as long as we reside in earthly bodies we will have struggles.
Nevertheless it is God who changes us. As we draw near and spend time in His presence our focus, our desires and motivations change. God has given us a new inner man when we were born again. The call to us is to begin to think like God as we begin to believe His Word over all we used to think and/or perceive; that is called being renewed in our mind.
Remember this- religion will try to change the outside but God works in our heart changing us from the inside out.
1. Spend time in prayer- not repetition or asking for things but really learn to talk to God.
As you realize how much He loves you you are drawn and as you see His beauty the pull of this world fades.
2. Spend time in His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit (our Teacher) to speak to you through the Word, reveal it's meaning and how it applies in your life.
3. Spend time in worship. Find some music that expresses your heart towards the One who loves you most. This is the most intimate form of communion, you pour you love out to Him and He pours His love out on you. I liken it to pouring two wines in a glass, as the intermingle they become one. Do this for an hour or two at a time.

If you take the time to do these things you will indeed be sowing to the spirit instead of the flesh.
Remember always that Jesus made a way for our sins to be removed that we may again fellowship with our Father. Like any other relationship this grows and blossoms as time is spent together, as you learn His likes, His ways and this love will grow ever deeper as you press into it.
Do these things and you will indeed find yourself changed. The only difference- the battle will have been His instead of yours.
Many blessings in His Name,
your brother Larry.

 

[Johan]

I have to agree with you Mabalot, I've felt the same thing every day the last couple of years! It is very confusing sometimes, I mean I really, really want to be free from my bad habits, but nothing seems to help, not even giving up and asking Jesus to help me! It doesn't seem to help at first, but it's a slow process ...

I'm in a 'recovery process' myself, just like everyone else, and some of these replies have helped me a lot!